Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday initiated work on a new hostel on the campus with capacity to accommodate over 400 students. Named Barak Hostel, it has been dedicated to Barak river that runs through Northeast India. Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the hostel.

The building will have five floors. Other than rooms for inmates, the hostel will have an office, dining hall, common room and other facilities for students.

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Singh said: "To have a special hostel for the north-east region is to bring the beauty and richness and wisdom of the region." He added, "North-east is one of the fastest growing regions of India, where the growth rate is nearly 20 per cent."

Vice chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said he was delighted that the Central Government was helping JNU build a hostel.

DoNER secretary Naveen Verma said, "The decision to build the hostel was taken with great speed in the ministry. The hostel will cost about Rs 29 crore."

Five members of Parliament from the northeastern region were also present.